Clean and Clutter-free: Cleaning brass?

Forum: Clean and Clutter-free Replies: 17, Views: 184 Print -

Author Content WUVIE Hulbert, OK (Zone 7a) June 27, 2007 9:30 PM Post #3667633 Today I found quite a treasure. A set of four mice with long screw-in tails - $1.50 for all of them. Just entirely too cute. But the problem lies in that they are made of brass and I would feel confident stating they have NEVER been cleaned. I just spent a good thirty minutes scrubbing one of them with Brasso, and while it did work, my gosh, it was a ton of elbow grease and a few soft cloths. Is there anything on the market these days which is superb for cleaning Brass? Mind you, these little mice are filthy, so a dash of lemon juice just won't cut it. Two of them are missing their tails and one is being cleaned. Sorry the image is so bright. My eyes! My eyes! LOL Many thanks for your tips, tricks and ideas. Karen Marie Click the image for an enlarged view. ecrane3 Dublin, CA (Zone 9a) June 27, 2007 9:39 PM Post #3667677 You might try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser first to get off most of the dirt, then use Brasso to polish them up. Brass is a sort of soft metal though and it might scratch them, so I'd test it in a spot on the bottom first to figure out if it's going to scratch or not. WUVIE Hulbert, OK (Zone 7a) June 27, 2007 9:42 PM Post #3667691 I just happen to have some of the erasers and will certainly give that a shot, many thanks! Karen Marie ecrane3 Dublin, CA (Zone 9a) June 27, 2007 9:43 PM Post #3667702 I've found they get off stuff that nothing else will get off. Only problem is they'll ruin some finishes and scratch some things so you have to be a little careful with them, but they really are the closest thing to magic I've ever found in a cleaning product! gloria125 Greensboro, AL June 27, 2007 10:24 PM Post #3667888 Bar Keepers Friend. WUVIE Hulbert, OK (Zone 7a) June 28, 2007 8:23 AM Post #3668924 Is that a liquid? A bar of soap? A powder? Is it magic? LOL gloria125 Greensboro, AL June 28, 2007 8:49 AM Post #3669027 [HYPERLINK@www.barkeepersfriend.com] I am referring to the powder in the gold box, but I notice now they have incorporated other products under the same name, Bar Keepers Friend. The powder is nonabrasive and is good for porcelain (such as rust on antique bathroom fixtures), old brass, old neglected marble. It is a nonabrasive powder and non-corrosive bleach. I use in on my copper pans for grunge. If you want a final finish you can use something like Brasso. Brasso contains wax which should keep the surface from retarnishing, but it probably will need to be polished maybe 2 x a year or so. WUVIE Hulbert, OK (Zone 7a) June 28, 2007 8:56 AM Post #3669051 Oh, Gloria, thank you! I have a pot rack that hangs above the stove. Since I have ocd habits, the pans must hang in a certain manner which means the bottoms show outward, thus exposing their copper bottoms. I'll have to get some of this product for that and will try it on the mice as well. Many thanks, ladies! gloria125 Greensboro, AL June 28, 2007 9:05 AM Post #3669092 I hope you like it. mornin_gayle Dubuque, IA (Zone 5a) August 3, 2007 12:21 AM Post #3812163 Try ketchup and the finest steel wool you can get. I have also used Lysol Toilet Bowl cleaner with really good results. I have also read where you can use lemons and salt, but I personally haven't tried that. Wax your pieces after you get them clean with something like Mother's or Turtle Wax, it saves cleaning later! I clean my copper pots with a mixture of ketchup and baking soda. Make a paste, let it sit for an hour or so, wash off with a dishrag and rinse well. I also use barkeepers friend for the nasty stuff that gets burnt on, inside or out! mg edited for speeling This message was edited Aug 2, 2007 11:37 PM imapigeon Gilroy, CA (Zone 9a) October 14, 2007 9:38 AM Post #4081210 I also use Barkeeper's friend for some things, too, and it does a great job getting rid of hard-water spots on tile. But when I get tarnished brass at thrift stores, my favorite process is to put the item in a pot, add water to cover, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 cup of white vinegar. Bring to a boil and the tarnish will float off. The polish I use for copper and brass is an auto product---Meguier's Gold Class. It does a great job and smells like pina colada instead of chemicals. It's kind of hard to find, but the auto supply places that cater to show-cars usually have it. mgpaquin Savannah, GA March 21, 2008 7:35 PM Post #4692587 I agree with Gloria 100%! Barkeeper's Friend is a miracle. I've been on the altar guild at our church which is FULL of brass, including huge candlestands and lecterns, to say nothing of the altar crosses. For years they had been cleaned with Brasso which had not been properly removed, so they were clogged with white/green powder. With Barkeeper's Friend they now shine like new. My only suggestion would be that if you're doing a mammoth job (like cleaning all the brass in an old church!) you might want to consider using gloves. One or two pieces' worth won't tear up your hands, but LOTS might. Oh -- also be sure to rinse thoroughly in clear water. I simply couldn't live without the stuff! pirl Southold, NY (Zone 7a) March 21, 2008 7:45 PM Post #4692623 Thanks for the rave review. I'll add it to my list of things to buy. gloria125 Greensboro, AL March 21, 2008 8:10 PM Post #4692719 mgpaquin. Do you wax the brass after cleaning? I know if you see green on brass you are seeing corrosion and eventually there will be a hole or surface pits. mgpaquin Savannah, GA March 21, 2008 9:11 PM Post #4692964 Gloria125, no we don't wax. Just a thorough rinsing with water, or if you're dealing with very filigreed items possibly soap and water, making sure to THOROUGHLY rinse, then drying. In our experience with the brass at church anything (wax, lacquer, etc.) is more trouble than it's worth. Once you get your brass really clean even if it's not in regular use it should be easy to clean. I've got a brass tray at home that I probably polish every 6 months. When it's first done it looks like gold, then it quietly turns a darker golden color but it never looks "tarnished." If you try Barkeeper's Friend I can almost guarantee you'll never use anything else! WUVIE Hulbert, OK (Zone 7a) March 21, 2008 10:30 PM Post #4693389 MG, many thanks. Is this a product which is available in most larger box stores? KM mgpaquin Savannah, GA March 24, 2008 9:26 PM Post #4705428 Wuvie/KM, I find it in my local supermarket, with either cleansers or metal cleaners. I'm sure that the bigger box stores should have it. For some reason or other it's almost always stocked on a very low shelf. (Maybe because it's not a product that makes the store a lot of money?) I don't know what supermarkets you have where you are but I've found it at our Piggly Wiggly, Kroger and Publix. Good luck -- once you try it you'll be hooked! WUVIE Hulbert, OK (Zone 7a) March 25, 2008 9:17 PM Post #4709759 Many thanks, MG! :-) KM

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